Winter 2013/2014

Donka Digest
Winter 2013/2014 - Issue XLI
A Voice Can Be a Powerful Thing
A New Year with New
Possibilities!
Dear Donka friends and family,
This New Year comes with exciting
opportunities at Donka! We are
excited to be the recipients of a
2014 Tellabs grant, in the amount
of $55,000, to expand our Train the
Trainer program. More vocational
trainers and healthcare workers will
be better equipped to use computers
to help the persons with disability
with whom they work regain their
independence. More university
students preparing to be elementary
and secondary teachers will learn how
assistive technology can open new
doors for their future students.
Assistive technology is not a one
size fits all. Donka is beginning to
open more doors of opportunity
to students with autism, literacy
difficulties and communication
impairments in our training labs As
we welcome new students and new
possibilities, we are also saying goodbye to two retiring board members
who have been with Donka since the
beginning. I have had the honor and
pleasure of working with Joyce and
Ron for the last 23 years and I wish
them all the best.
We will continue to do our “work”
and reach for greater possibilities in
the vision and work of our founder
Don Van Haveren and dedicated
board members like Joyce Van Der
Molen and Ron Reinecke. We look
forward to a new year and to share
our news with you.
Happy New Year!
Leanne Stavenger-Vos
Executive Director
Donka student and DuPage
Convalescent Center resident
Jim Urhausen owned a successful
homebuilders and development
company for over 35 years when
complications from diabetes caused
him to lose his legs and the use of his
hands and arms. Faced with such a
dramatic lifestyle change, Jim began
to look around for new opportunities
to regain his independence. Although
his working days were behind him,
Jim decided to expand his rudimentary
computer knowledge. Due to the
limited mobility of his hands and
arms, Jim needed assistive technology
that was hands-free. Donka’s
instructors trained him on Dragon
NaturallySpeaking™ and now he can
“type” faster than most able-bodied
adults!
Dragon NaturallySpeaking™ is speech
recognition software that makes
completing computer tasks faster
and easier for those who have limited
physical mobility or limited learning
disabilities. It is a great option for high
school or college students to use to
write papers, take class notes or keep
in touch with social media. Students
who are on the employment track at
Donka find Dragon helpful compose
documents, complete spreadsheets or
navigate the internet and write emails.
Donka students find that using their
voice to navigate the computer removes
the frustration that comes with slow
typing skills and/or inability to use a
keyboard or mouse.
Donka graduate Jim demonstrates the
functions of voice recognition software
Jim demonstrates his Dragon skills
to visitors to the lab by using voice
command to open Internet browsers
and Word documents. As he composes
a document, he uses phrases like
“scratch that” to erase words and
switches between programs with just
a word. Jim graduated from Donka’s
computer program and now enjoys
using his lab time to easily navigate the
internet or write emails. “I’m extremely
grateful to the donors and sponsors of
the Donka Program,” says Jim. “Upon
completion of my coursework, I hope to
become a volunteer for the program and
‘pay it forward.’”
Donka is dedicated to using cuttingedge assistive technology to give our
students competitive skills to achieve
employment and/or make everyday
tasks easier and more efficient.
Also in this issue:
DPCC: Donka’s Home and Family
Interview with retiring Board Members
Donka Intern Learns Valuable Lessons
Donka Digest
The DPCC: Donka’s Home and Family
With Donka Since the Start: Board Members Joyce and Ron Retire
Winter 2013/2014
It started with an amazing vision
and one computer.
During December 2013, Donka
said good-bye to two retiring
board members who have been
with the organization since the
very beginning. Joyce Van Der
Molen and Ronald Reinecke
both played instrumental roles
in Donka’s early development
and without them, Donka would
not be where it is today. We
asked Joyce and Ron about their
experiences with Donka.
Issue XLI
Donka Digest is published by:
Donka, Inc.
400 North County Farm Road
Wheaton, Illinois 60187
630-665-8169
www.donkainc.org
Board of Directors
Mary Beth Marshall, President
Robert Stewart, Vice President
Kevin Kelly, Treasurer
Flory Hoving, Secretary
Floyd Groen
Marc Grobe
Beth Hovious
Beth Welch
John Westra
Jennifer Ulmer
Staff
Leanne Stavenger-Vos, Exec. Director
Kim Snively, Program Manager
Bridget Elliott, PR & Development
Amira Murphy, PR Associate
Kathy Brush, Instructor
Ann Byrne, Instructor
Marc Grobe, IT Support
Samantha Moore, Instructor
Elizabeth Rotert, Instructor
Rick Schopp, Aurora Instructor
Donka’s Mission
Changing lives of persons with
disabilities through technology.
Donka’s Vision
Donka is the premier provider
of services that create personal
empowerment, socialization, selfadvocacy and job readiness for
people with physical and visual
impairment, through state of the
art technology.
Don Van Haveren knew that
computer training could change the
lives of the residents of the DuPage
Convalescent Center (DPCC) but it
could only work if they were given
a space that was easily accessible.
He enlisted the help of his friend
and DPCC administrator, Ron
Reinecke. Ron provided Don with
a room close to his office and in it
they set up a single computer.
Something special was happening
in that small computer room.
Residents were given a space
where they could regain their
independence, reconnect with
family and friends, and realize
that despite their physical, visual
or learning limitations, they
could receive job-training and be
financially independent.
From its humble beginnings,
Donka has expanded to meet the
demand for our computer training
services. In 1992, when plans for
a new east wing of DPCC were in
the works, Donka was reserved a
larger space that would house more
than 15 computers and ample space
for instructors and administration
to comfortably work towards Don’s
vision.
Being located in the same building
as the residents means easy and
consistent access to computers.
“Donka has been an asset to the
DuPage Convalescent Center
Community for many years,”
says DPCC administrator Jennifer
Ulmer. “Residents are able take
classes and learn about the ever-
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Donka computer lab has called DPCC
home for more than 25 years.
changing world of technology,
regardless of their physical
challenges.”
Ulmer believes that the availability
of adaptive equipment and
technology lifts the barriers
residents often have on a daily
basis. She continues to say that
“Donka has been instrumental in
helping us achieve our mission of
helping our residents do as much
as they can, as well as they can, for
as long as they can.”
The DuPage Convalescent Center
is the only assisted living center
in the Chicagoland area that has
a fully equip computer lab that
offers free computer training
and open lab times to residents.
From the day the first computer
was switched on, the DuPage
Convalescent Center has housed
Donka rent-free. Logistically, this
is a great blessing because Donka
is able to maximize donations to go
straight towards training programs
to make them free for students.
But more importantly, Donka and
all who work here are truly part of
a greater family with the nurses,
therapists, administration and
residents at DPCC.
How did you become board
members at Donka?
Joyce: Don Van Haveren, a
friend from Wheaton Christian
Reformed Church, had recently
formed an organization called
Donka which offered computer
training programs for people
with disabilities. He asked me
to serve on the Board. While I
knew nothing about computers,
Don’s vision of how the use of
a computer could change lives
and his enthusiasm for this
new venture were primarily the
reason I wanted to be apart of
this organization. I also visited
the Donka Lab where I observed
how he and instructor Judy
Lampa created a culture of caring
where students felt comfortable
and were able to succeed.
Remember, 25 years ago, assistive
technology was not readily
available. When a Donka
student needed adaptations made
to their computer equipment,
like a wand to control the mouse
for example, Don would make
the adjustments himself. This is
what I mean when I say that he
was a visionary. He saw things in
people that others could not. He
knew that, if given the chance
board memorable and worthwhile.
The grants that we receive are
reaffirming. Our community and
our loyal donors recognize that
Donka’s work is meaningful.
Joyce and Ron were both close friends
with Donka’s founder, Don Van Haveren
and the equipment, his students
with disabilities could improve their
lives.
Ron: Before Don Van Haveren
asked me to act as a Donka
board member, I was the DuPage
Convalescent Center administrator.
Don came to me with his vision of
starting computer training for the
residents at DPCC and I supplied
him with a room by my office. It
started with one computer and two
students. The residents loved Don
and we quickly saw how important
Donka was for their lives.
Ron: I enjoyed seeing the
organization grow and provide
activities for the residents. My
proudest moment was when the
DPCC opened the new east wing
and Donka was able to provide more
computer training opportunities for
more residents.
What do you see in Donka’s future?
Ron: I would like to see Donka
continue the community training
program with university students.
What did you enjoy most about
being a board member?
Joyce: I am excited to see the Train
the Trainer program expand to reach
more special education teachers and
care-takers. I see Donka blossoming
and reaching more people in our
community who need their services.
Leanne is a very able leader and she
continues to promote the culture
of working with the community to
share Don’s vision.
Joyce: There is really not one
single moment. The sum of all
the accomplishments achieved at
Donka really made my time on the
Donka owes so much to Joyce and
Ron and we will truly miss them!.
We wish them the best in their
retirement!
Donka Raises more than $7,000 at Annual Bowl-a-thon!
A special thanks to everyone who came out on October 27th, 2013. We had a blast!
Special thanks to our sponsors:
Jim Cook, West Chicago - $1,000
Wheaton Bank & Trust - $500
DuPage Workforce Board, Lisle, IL -$ 250
Van Dyke Charitable Foundation -$250
Chicago Far West Suburban Delta Gamma Alumnae- $100
Mathieson, Moyski, Celer & Co., LLP Wheaton IL-$100
Stay connected with Donka for more events at www.donkainc.org
3
Intern Learns Lessons that Last a Lifetime
edge assistive technology and
successful teaching methods that
will prepare them for their future
professions in the field of disability
services or special education.
Donka was lucky to have an
amazing intern this past fall.
Jessica is a special education and
elementary education double major
Jessica Bordenaro took home valuable
at Trinity Christian College. She
experience as Donka’s intern in Fall 2013
was very interested in the internship
It takes a special person to dedicate
position because she was looking
their life to serving persons with
for work and an internship would
disabilities. Everyone that works at
Donka puts their heart and soul into provide her with a way to use
what she had learned in school as
their work, including our interns.
well as learn more about assistive
Donka offers internships through a
technology and helping people
partnership with Trinity Christian
who have disabilities. “I absolutely
College and other colleges in
DuPage County. Interns shadow our enjoyed my time as an intern at
Donka,” says Jessica. “Everyone
instructors to learn about cutting-
who works there is friendly and
was very patient with me as I
learned about all the assitive
technologies that they offer there.
I especially enjoyed my time
working one-on-one with students
at Donka, and co-teaching the
Benedictine night class. I feel
much more prepared to be able
to help a future student of mine
who might need to use some of
these types of technologies. I even
found some neat tricks to use
with the computer to help myself
out in college!”
We at Donka wish Jessica the
best! For more information about
applying for an internship at
Donka, visit our website or call us
at 630-665-8169.
400 N. County Farm Rd.
Wheaton, IL 60187
630-665-8169
www.donkainc.org
Donka, Inc.
Non-Profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
PAID
Carol Stream, IL
60137
Permit #1565

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